Interior Design BS / Design Research MS

Major: Interior Design and Design Research
Degrees Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS) and Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 229.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Five years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 50.0408
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 27-1025

About the Program

This five-year path allows students to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design, enhanced by a Master of Science in Design Research. Preparing them for a human-centered technology-driven professional career.

The undergraduate Interior Design program explores the behavioral, technological, environmental and aesthetic aspects of interior design within the context of increasingly more complex design projects. Combined with art and art history and general education requirements, a core of interior design courses creates a unique education at the forefront of design. Through academics grounded in problem-solving design studios, cooperative employment, and a dedicated faculty, the Interior Design program prepares students for leadership positions in the industry. The Interior Design program is consistently ranked among the top programs in the country, and in the survey by Design Intelligence of "America's Best Design Schools."

The BS interior design program is CIDA (Council for Interior Design Accreditation) and NASAD (National Association of Schools of Art & Design) accredited.

The Design Research Masters program creates an arena for advanced students to explore and enhance their skills in design research areas that include Technology, Environmental Design and Health, including Community Based Design. Driven by the interdisciplinary nature of design, the program addresses the future in response to the emerging and complex designed environment. Designers operate in a world of increasing intricacy; this degree gives candidates a greater depth of knowledge and experience in topics relevant to present and future challenges in design.

The program focuses on providing a forum for students to pursue paths of inquiry and investigation within Design, Technology, Environmental Design and Health. This flexible program operates with a core curriculum that is built on, and augmented by, a customized set of electives, and the second year thesis sequence.

Additional Information

For more information about this program, visit the College's Interior Design webpage.

Admission Requirements

  • Must apply between 90.0-120.0 credits
  • 3.0 or better GPA
  • Two recommendations
  • 500-word essay
  • Work Sample
  • Applicants apply in spring of their sophomore year and must be approved by both program directors.

Degree Requirements

General Education requirements
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
COOP 101Career Management and Professional Development *1.0
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research3.0
or ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENGL 102Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing3.0
or ENGL 112 English Composition II
ENGL 103Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres3.0
or ENGL 113 English Composition III
MATH 101Introduction to Analysis I4.0
PHYS 175Light and Sound3.0
PHYS 176Computational Lab for Light and Sound1.0
SOC 101Introduction to Sociology3.0
UNIV A101The Drexel Experience2.0
Required Arts and Humanities-students elect a minimum of 9.0 credits **9.0
Required Natural Science-students elect a minimum of 3.0 credits ***3.0
Required Social Science-students elect a minimum of 6.0 credits 6.0
Free electives24.0
Undergraduate electives (18.0 credits)
Shared graduate electives (6.0 credits)
Art History & Visual Studies requirements
Required Art History (ARTH) students select a minimum of 6.0 credits6.0
ARTH 103History of Art III3.0
VSST 101Design I4.0
VSST 102Design II4.0
VSST 103Design III4.0
VSST 110Introductory Drawing3.0
VSST 201Multimedia: Performance4.0
or VSST 202 Multimedia: Space
VSST 203Multimedia: Materials4.0
VSST 301Painting I4.0
or VSST 311 Sculpture I
Interior Design requirements
INTR 160Visualization I: Computer Imaging3.0
INTR 200History of Modern Architecture and Interiors3.0
INTR 211Textiles for Interiors3.0
INTR 220Visualization II: Orthographic3.0
INTR 225Environmental Design Theory3.0
INTR 232Interior Studio I4.0
INTR 233Interior Studio II4.0
INTR 241Visualization III: Digital3.0
INTR 245Visualization IV: 3D Modeling3.0
INTR 250Interior Materials3.0
INTR 300 [WI] Visual Culture: Interiors3.0
INTR 305 [WI] Visual Culture: Furniture3.0
INTR 331Residential Design Studio4.0
INTR 340Community Studio4.0
INTR 341Visualization V: Methods3.0
INTR 350Interior Detailing3.0
INTR 351Interior Lighting3.0
INTR 430Commercial Design Studio4.0
INTR 441Furniture Design4.0
INTR 442Hospitality Design Studio4.0
INTR 445Contract Documentation for Interior Design3.0
INTR 450 [WI] Professional Practice3.0
INTR 451Interior Systems3.0
INTR 491Senior Project I3.0
INTR 492Senior Project II3.0
INTR 493Senior Project III3.0
Design Research requirements
ARTH 530History of Modern Design ††3.0
or CCM 704 Research Methods in Communication, Culture and Media
or CRTV 620 Research Methods and Assessment of Creative and Innovative Thinking
or PSY 510 Research Methods I
or URBS 530 Quantitative Methods & Reasoning for Urban Strategists
or VSST 501 Contemporary Art Issues
DSRE 620Design Problem Solving3.0
DSRE 625Technologies of Making3.0
DSRE 630Data Visualization for Design Professionals3.0
DSRE 635Translational Design Research3.0
DSRE 641Contemporary Design Theory3.0
DSRE 645Design Research Thesis Proposal3.0
DSRE 650Thesis Research and Practicum3.0
DSRE 750Thesis in Design Research I3.0
DSRE 760Thesis in Design Research II3.0
DSRE 770Thesis in Design Research III3.0
Graduate electives 9.0
Total Credits229.0
*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

**

Select 9.0 credits from 100-499 level courses, including T380, T480 in AFAS, ARCH, ARTH, COM, DANC, ENGL, FMST, GST, HIST, INTR, IST, JWST, LANG, LING, MENA, MUSC, PHIL, PHTO, PPE, PBHL, RELS, SCRP, THTR, TVST, VSCM, WGST, WRIT

***

Select 3.0 credits from 100-499 level courses in ANAT, ENVS, PHEV, BIO, GEO, PHYS, CHEM, NFS (must take NFS 100 + NFS 101 to earn credit)

Select 6.0 credits from from 100-499 level courses, including T380, T480 in AFAS, ANTH, CJS, CS, ECON, ENSS, ENVS, PSCI, PSY, PBHL, SOC, WGST

††

Or other course with advisor approval

±

Select 9.0 credits from 500-600 level courses, including I599, I699, T580, T680, in AS-I, CRTV, DIGM, DSRE, ENTP, ENVS, EPI, FASH, IDM, INFO, PBHL, RMER

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

4+1, 1 co-op (Accelerated program completed in 5 years)

Students complete undergraduate requirements in four years, then convert to graduate status in the fifth and final year.

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ARTH 1033.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0CIVC 1011.0VACATION
ENGL 101 or 1113.0UNIV A1011.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
MATH 1014.0VSST 1024.0INTR 1603.0 
UNIV A1011.0VSST 1103.0INTR 2003.0 
VSST 1014.0(UG) Art History Elective3.0VSST 1034.0 
 (UG) Arts & Humanities Elective3.0(UG) Art History Elective3.0 
 15 17 17 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
INTR 2203.0COOP 101*1.0INTR 2113.0INTR 2453.0
INTR 2253.0INTR 2334.0INTR 3314.0INTR 3053.0
INTR 2324.0INTR 2413.0INTR 3413.0INTR 3404.0
INTR 2503.0INTR 3003.0(UG) Electives6.0INTR 3503.0
(UG) Elective3.0PHYS 1753.0 (UG) Elective3.0
 PHYS 1761.0  
 SOC 1013.0  
 16 18 16 16
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCEINTR 3513.0VSST 301 or 3114.0
  INTR 4304.0(UG) Arts & Humanities Elective3.0
  INTR 4513.0(UG) Natural Science3.0
  VSST 2034.0(UG) Social Science Elective3.0
  (UG) Arts & Humanities Elective3.0ARTH 530 or VSST 5013.0
 0 0 17 16
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
INTR 4424.0INTR 4453.0INTR 4414.0Student converts to Grad status
INTR 4913.0INTR 4503.0INTR 4933.0 
VSST 201 or 2024.0INTR 4923.0(UG) Elective3.0 
(UG) Social Science Elective3.0(UG) Elective3.0DSRE 641 (counts as UG Free Electives)3.0 
DSRE 6203.0DSRE 630 (counts as UG Free Electives)3.0DSRE 6453.0 
 DSRE 6353.0BS Degree Awarded 
 17 18 16 0
Fifth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
DSRE 6253.0DSRE 7603.0DSRE 7703.0 
DSRE 7503.0(GR) DSRE Electives6.0(GR) DSRE Electives6.0 
DSRE 6503.0   
(GR) DSRE Elective3.0   
 12 9 9 
Total Credits 229
*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

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